Elmer Release Notes for version 8.1
===================================
Previous release: 8.0
Period covered: 29 April 2015 - 29 October 2015
Finite elements
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- Second-order curl-conforming (edge) finite elements for triangles and tetrahedra are now available.
The background mesh for these elements can also be based on the second-order Lagrange interpolation
(the choice between the element types 306 vs 303 and 510 vs 504).
Two new test cases for the second-order edge elements are also available.
Linear system solvers
---------------------
- Constraint Modes Analysis:
o New analysis type that permutes over given boundaries and sets values to zero or one.
Using this permutation it is possible to create lumped models.
o Automated procedure to compute matrix between the constraint modes. For electrostatics this
would be capacitance matrix, for example.
o Preliminary documentation in the ElmerSolver manual.
- Keyword "Linear System Residual Mode" implemented to enforce solution for the difference rather
than for the absolute norm. Relaxes the needed tolerances for iterative linear solvers.
Makes some simulations, like those in contact mechanics, much more robust.
- Keyword "Linear System Consistent Norm" implemented that enforces the parallel norm to be exactly
the same as the serial norm. Essential in parallel consistency testing.
- Added possibility to specify Dirichlet boundary condition order for a specific solver with
"Dirichlet BC Order" keyword. This is relevant when BCs may be conflicting.
Mesh interpolation, projection and manipulation
------------------------------------------------
- Projectors
o New accurate 1D edge-to-edge projector (Galerkin type)
o Enable rotation of rotational interfaces simply by providing offset for angle
o New strategies (plane, cylindrical) implemented to allow flattening of interface meshes.
The flattened interface meshes allow more accurate projection since there is no faceting of the meshes.
These options fit the parameters for the plane/cylinder automatically.
o Biorthogonal basis functions for the exact Galerkin projectors and discontinuous projector
- Constraint matrix
o When combining projectors to constraint matrix allow projectors to be additive with keyword
"Mortar BCs Additive = Logical True".
o Introduced possibility to determine priorities such that only higher priority is accounted for.
This may be useful if there are number of constraints applied to the same dofs.
o Improvements on the elimination of dofs when constraint matrix is given.
- Developments in contact mechanics
o Features to deal correctly with N-T coordinate system. For example, in 3D the coordinate system
must be left-handed for the master boundary. Still limitations in cases with conflicting conditions.
o Preliminary implementation of various friction models
o Utilization of more robust residual mode in setting up the linear problem
- Discontinuous Meshes:
o Improvements for robustness and parallel operation. Problems in parallel operation using elimination persists.
- When interpolating from mesh to mesh, the Solver section keyword "Interpolate Passive Coordinate = Integer n"
will treat nodal coordinate n as zero when performing the interpolation.
- InterpolateMeshToMesh can return a list of unfound nodes. Also a mask may be used to narrow down the dofs that
the interpolation is applied for.
Other library functionality
---------------------------
- First steps towards internal mesh partitioning features with some simple partitioning routines added.
- Compute the number of continuous sections in the mesh when setting keyword in Simulation section
"Calculate Mesh Pieces = Logical True". Works only in serial.
- Better support for ordinary differential equations
- Implemented "GetRealVector" and "GetComplexVector" functions to make it more simple to take vector valued
input in Solver modules.
- Added "ListGetActiveName()" to retreive activating keyword name within UDFs. Also
add "ListPushNameSpace()", "ListPopNamespace()".
- Add "Component" input file section / model type field. This could be used for parameters that are not mesh
related, such as electric circuits, equations of state, chemical reactions or other lumped models.
- First version of "mesh swap" functionality that allows for changing the mesh on-the-fly.
Implement "Mesh mode" to allow the same simulation to be performed for a series of meshes.
- SaveMesh can now output the model mesh at each timestep.
ElmerSolver Solver modules
---------------------------
- MagnetoDynamics
o The solver for the A-V formulation now supports the second-order edge elements
(with Quadratic Approximation = Logical True).
- MagnetoDynamicsCalcFields (post-processor for MgDyn solvers):
o Generalized nodal force (GNF) based on derivative of magnetic energy
with respect to nodal virtual displacements. To enable force
calculation, use "Calculate Nodal Force = Logical True"
o Calculate torque of arbitrary number of bodies using GNF wrt arbitrary axes
o Added keyword "Impose Body Force Current" to add impressed body force current
density to conduction current density.
o Fixed post-processing of current density in 2D.
o Enabled field calculation via postprocessing when using second-order edge elements in A-V simulations
- ParticleAdvector:
o Path and time integrals implemented
o Parallel operation restored
- ResultOutputSolver:
o Output for Constraint Modes Analysis (similar to Eigen Analysis)
- ElasticSolver:
o Using the p-version of FEM is now possible in connection with finite elasticity.
- SaveScalars
o Implemented masking for body, body force and material sections in SaveScalars.
For example, one can now give for "Variable i" a corresponding mask "Mask Name i"
such that the "Operator i = material myoper" would be applied only at the material
where the given mask is True.
- StructuredMeshMapper
o Enable an intermediate layer with the keyword "Mid Surface = Real" at on internal boundary.
- ComputeNormal
o Enable parallel operation without halo elements.
ElmerSolver environment:
-----------------------
- Parallel testing features implemented
o ADD_ELMER_TEST now accepts two optional named list arguments NPROCS and LABELS.
o Correct MPI launcher has to be specified using CMake MPIEXEC variables.
- Introduced use of labels in the tests. This allows easy selecting of a subset of tests when performing them.
For example label 'slow' is added for the slowest tests and label 'quick' to fastest tests.
Label 'parallel' is automatically added for parallel tests, and 'serial' for serial tests.
- Tens of new serial and parallel tests included among the consistency tests.
- Added "ELMER_MODULES_PATH" environment variable. User can now set variable ELMER_MODULES_PATH to a
colon separated list of search paths that are used when loading the solver modules.
ElmerGrid
---------
- Implemented "-halobc" flag that only writes the halos around the boundary conditions. This may be needed
as some routines (e.g. the discontinuity creation) requires parent information of the boundary elements.
- Implemented "-nooverwrite" flag that terminates the execution of ElmerGrid if the mesh file to be written
already exists. This could, for example, save from some unnecessary I/O when doing automated testing.
- Enforces serial mode for mesh output if only one partition is requested.
